of our selues for it is the gift of God and commeth not of woorkes Ephe. 2. least any should boa st him self for we are his woormanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good woorks that wee shoulde walke in them so that none can looue Christe in purenes of hart but that of verry force hée will walke in good woorks as thinges that are vnpossible to bée seperated from him that is sanctified with the spirit of adoption and grace for as Christ is the fountaine of all holynes and righteousnes and of all grace and goodnes so it must needes followe that whome Christe hath sanctified with his Spirit that they must of necessitie doo the woorkes of grace and righteousnes so long as they labour and indeuour to be renued and confirmed in the spirit of grace which wée receiuing and takeing of Christe must of force confesse that without it wée haue no power to crucifie our fleshe and to resist sinne and therfore by it wée haue power to mortifie our earthly members and to doo the woorkes of righteousnes whereby it is moste euident and plaine that by the grace giuen by Christe through faith wée may assuredly and boldely perswade our s elues that wee are only iustified and saued Therefore saith Peter Pet. 1.1 blessed be God the father of our Lord Iesus which through his aboundant mercie begat vs againe to a liuely hope by the resurrection of Christe from death to inioy an inheritance immortall and vndefiled reserued in heauen for vs after which the prophets inquired and searched prophesying of the grace that shuld come vnto vs by the spirite of of Christ which testified before of the passions that should come vnto him and the glorie that should follow after for by Christ we are made spirituall and not carnall whose spirite doth certifie our spirite that we are the sonnes of God and heires annexed with him who was ordained before the worlde was made that by him our faith and hope might be in God so that our iustification come not by the deedes of the law but by the faith of Iesus Christ according to Paule Thess â—â— God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation through sanctifying of the spirite and through the beleeuing of the truth whereunto he called you by the gospell for Christe is the end of the law to iustifie all that beleeue Rom. 8 Gal. 6. walking not after the flesh but after the spirite for what soeuer a man soweth that shall he reape if he sow in the flesh hee shall of the flesh reape corruption but if he sow in the spirite he shall of the spirite reape life euerlasting for they that are Christes Gal. 5. haue crucified the flesh with the appetites and lustes thereof for Christ hath called vs to holynes and not to vncleannes and hath called vs out of bondage into libertie from the curse of the law vnto grace from darknes to light from death to life from the spirite of feare to a liuely hope from a earthly mansion to an heuenly kingdome from transitorie glorie to euerlasting glorification therefore stand grounded and established in faith not moued away from the gospell but stand fa st in the liuely hope to obtaine the glorie that commeth by Christ Rom. 8. being vnfainedly pers waded that there is no damnation to them that are in Christ Iesus walking after the spirite and hauing their conseruation in heauen For Christ our sauiour sitting now in the right hand of God in his maiestie Ephe. 1. was before the world was by whom wee are predestinated heires according to the purpose of him that worketh all things after the purpose of his owne will that through his gospell should be brought life and immortalitie to all that do beleeue in his sonne Iesus Christ the seede of promise to Abraham who now is declared openly whom we looke for to come shortly in the glorie of his Father and all holy Aungels with him in all power and maiestie And that all eies shall see him and they also that pearsed him so that al kindreds of the earth shall mourne when they behold Christ comming in the cloudes Reu. 1. to reward euery man according to his deedes therfore it behoueth vs to watch and pray and to become new creatures thereby making our election sure by holding fast his gospell in a stedfast faith by walking after righteousnes that we may ouercome and be found faithfull at the appearance of Christ comming in glorie that we also may be crowned with glorie ioyfully saying Blessed is the kingdome that commeth in the name of him Mark 11. that is Lord of our Father Dauid Hosanna in the highest Ephe. 1. BLessed be God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs with all maner of spirituall blessings in heauenly things by Christ according as he had chosen vs before the foundation of the world was laid that we shoulde bee Saintes through loue who ordained vs before through Christ to be heires vnto him selfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glorie of his grace wherewith hee hath made vs accepted through the beloued Iesus by whom wee haue redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenes of sinnes according to the riches of his grace Therefore to him be all honor and glorie world without end Amen THE GLORIOVS and beautifull garland of mans glorification CAP. 2. How man shall bee chaunged at the sounde of the laste troump from mortalitie to immortalitie and from an erthly nature to an euerlasting nature and appeare before the iudgement seat of Chris t to be rewarded according to his deedes eyther with eternall reproufe or els with euerlasting glorification SVch is the eternall ordenance of the Almightie God touching our saluation in his Sonne Iesus Christe that all men ought too knowe that as by a man came death so by a man come the resurrectioÌ„ of the dead for as by Adam all dye so by Christe shall all bee made alyue according to Iohn Iohn 5. The houre shall come in the which all that are in their graues shall heare Christes voice and shall come foorth they that haue done good to the resurrection of lyfe and they that haue done euill to the resurrection of dampnation Esdras 22. as the Lord sayd by the Prophet Those that be dead will I rayse vp againe from their places Daniell 12. bring them out of their graues and they that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting lyfe Acts. 17. some to perpetuall shame and reproufe as it is in the Acts that the Lord hath appointed a day in the which hée will iudge the world according to righteousnes by that man Christe whome hee hath appointed and hath offered faith to all men after that reysed him from death to whome saieth Iohn the Father hath coÌ„mitted all iudgement because that all men should honor the sonne euen as they
and true that it would moue any hart willingly to die for the Lambs sake and to suffer all afflictions rather then declyne from the companie of these heauenly Ladies which leadeth to eternall saluation Then these virgins pointed a righteous man farther to the top of Sion and there hée might sée and come to the company of them that were got vp to this fourth golden staire in Iacobs house walking boldely in perfect stablenes of all righteousnes vpon the pure glaciall sea of perseuerance patience long suffering and immutablenes as men s hewing them selues able to stand by the grace which was now giuen them and to abyde the batell to the end obteining the victory then were they redy ioyfully to enter to the high goldeÌ„ stair there to stand with the elect before Christ hauing garlands palmes of victory in their hands for a moste beautifull and glorious 5. Victory by fayth and bright Queene did sit vpon that transfulgent stayre thrusting out her heauenly hand being godly victory accompaned with eternall gladnes drawing them vp that had perseuered to the end into the glaciall sea of glorie before the Lamb Saying now come sée with Esay GOD sitting in his glorious seat and also Esdras vision performed Esay 6. When Esdras saw vpon the mount Sion a great People whome hée coulde not number and they praysed the Lord with songs of thanksgeuing and in the mid st of them Esdras 4.2 there was a young man of an high stature more excellent then all they and vpon euerie one of their heades hée set a crown and was euer higher and higher and the Angell sayd to Esdras that they were those that haue put of the mortall clothing and haue testified and knowledged the name of God vnto death therfore are now crowned and receiue the reward of immortalitie he which crowneth them and giueth them the palmes in their handes is the sonne of God whome they haue knowledged in the world and therfore they receiue glorious garments of the Lord which now beholde how Christe dooth performe it saying to you all that hath ouercum and béene faithfull vnto death in his name Reue. 3. come take you the crown of lyfe and sit with me in my seat of glorie And thus these Princes of Righteousnes dooth perswad euerie man by godly conuersation of lyfe to preace forward to obteine the mark appointed the high calling in Christe euen the very beautifull rewarde of eternall glorification For which cause that goodly Virgin and vndefiled Lady called the light of the Gospell came foorth in her golden Charriot to passe thorow out all the world saying I must go gather all Nations be they neuer so farre vnto Christe And then shée sayd Ary se ye Kings and Princes and worship the holy one of Israell who biddeth you that bee in darknes to coÌ„e into the light that you may se glorious IerusaleÌ„ the Tabernacle that neuer shall remoue for the glorious maiestie shall there bee present among vs. Therefore vp and come to the hill of the Lorde Esay 35. and to the house of the God of Iacob that you may walke in the light of the Lorde And then she passed through the middes of heauen with an euerlas ting testament preaching to all the inhabiters of the earth saying Seeke the Lorde all yee meeke hearted Sophon 1. ye that worke after his iudgoment seeke righteousnesse s eeke lowlines that ye may be defended in the wrathfull day of the Lorde Esay 66. for the hande of the Lord shall be knowrn among his seruants and his indignation among his enemies For which cause walke as it becommeth you according to the Gospel of Christ in true holinesse and purenes of conuersation that you may be found to laude honour and glorie at the great day of resurrection And then she did set vp righteousnesse in the balance and iudgement in the weightes saying Thus standeth it betweene the righteous people and the vngodly as followeth and therefore be carefull to make your election sure Esay 3. THe righteous shall enioye the fruites of their labours and studyes but wooe be to the vngodly and vnrighteous for they shall bee heauily rewarded after their workes Psalme 1. Blessed is the righteous man whose delight and exercise is in the Lawe of the Lorde for he is like a trée planted by the water side whose leafe shall neuer wither for the Lorde dwelleth among them that are righteous But as for the vngodly they are as chaffe that shall not be able to stande in the iudgement neither the sinners in the Congregation of the righteous for the way of the vngodly shall periâ—h Psalme 11. The Lorde loueth the righteous and his countenance beholdeth the Iust but the vngodly and him that delighteth in wickednesse doeth his soule abhorre yea vpon the vngodly and the vnrighteous persons he will raine fire and brimstone storme and tempest this shall be their portion to drinke Psalme 34. The eyes of the Lorde are ouer the righteous and his eares are open vnto their prayers and though great be the troubles of the righteous yet the Lorde deliuereth them out of all But the countenance of the Lorde is against the wicked and hee will destroy the vngodly and vnrighteous man Psalme 37. The Lorde knoweth the dayes of the righteous and their inheritance shall endure for euer but as for the vngodly they shall perishe for the armes and power of the vngodly shall be broken but the Lorde vpholdeth the righteous Psalme 37. The Lorde loueth the thing that is right and neuer forsaketh the godly but will haue them kept and preserued for euermore but the vnrighteous shall be punished and the seede of the vngodly shall be rooted out Galathians 6. The Righteous doeth walke after the spirite and therefore shall reape life euerlasting but the wicked doe fulfill the lustes of the flesh and sowe carnally and therefore shall reape destruction Psalme 112. The Righteous shall be had in euerlasting remembrance he shall not be afraide for any euill tidinges his heart standeth fast and beleeueth in the Lord but the wicked shall consume away and the des ire of the vngodly shall perish Esay 28. The Lorde of hostes shall be a ioyfull crowne and glorious Garlande to the remnant of his righteous people Esay 14. but he shall make the generation of the wicked to be without honour for euer Malachie 4 The daye commeth that shall burne as an Ouen and all that doe wickednesse shall be as the strawe but vnto them that feare God and seeke righteousnesse shall be health and saluation and they shall be preserued vnder the winges of the Sonne of righteousnesse Reuel 22. Blessed are the righteous for they shall taste of the wood of life and enter the gates of the holy Citie of newe glorious Ierusalem but the wicked and euill dooers shal be shut out and not suffered to come to the holy Citie Matthewe 25. Vnto the Righteous the Lorde
had yea aboue his sweete sonne Isac whome he loued as his owne life notwithstanding faithfully did Abraham preferre the loue of his almightie God and maker aboue the life of Isac offering him in sacrifice to the Lorde for which cause the eternall creatour to make his promise more certainely to sticke fast in Abraham and in all his posteritie sware by him selfe shewing that there was no God but him selfe saying in Genesis Gen. 22. â— Because thou hast not spared thy only son Isaac to offer him a sacrifice to me I will blesse thee and multiplie thy seede as the starres of heauen and as the sande vpon the sea side and in thy seede shall all the nations of the earth bee blessed because thou hast obeyed my voyce And thus the most merciful god although he cast Adam for his transgression out of Paradise and also destroyed the worlde for sinne yet he sheweth againe the voyce and promise of comfort that hee hath not cast vs off but hath giuen his gratious goodnes to the worlde that all nations through the seede of Abraham should be blessed according to that of the prophet Them I haue created facioned Esay 43. and made for mine honour And nowe the more to iustifie his true promise it is apparent that hee establisheth the foresaide testament to Is aac the first figure of Christ Gen. â—6 by whome all nations are sanctified Saying to Isac I will be with thee and blesse thee The promise for vnto thee and to thy seede will I giue all these countries and through thy seede shall all nations of the earth bee blessed becaus e that Abraham harkened to my voice and kept my ordinances commandements statutes and lawes wherein we are to learne how al our blessednes came of God the father of al goodnes to whom we ought alwaies to be thankefull framing our selues through his grace to be like Abraham in beleeuing and equall with him in obedience and ioyned with him in righteousnes that we may receiue the like praise and honour as God maketh mention of him to Isaac therby to obtaine as Paule promiseth the eternall ioye the praise honour and immortalitie that is due to them that continue in good doing and seeke eternall life Rom. 2. And finally God to seale vp the fulnes of his couenant the more and more to helpe and strengthen our weake harts of beliefe and to allure the children of promise to a fixed hope of his grace and goodnes The promise to Iacob doth reiterate his testament to Iacob that he being the seede of Abraham and Isaac that he shall be the well of liuing waters and that out of his loynes shall come the fountaine of all heauenly blessednes and the water of life grace goodnes saying The land which thou sleepest vpon Gen. 26. will I giue thee thy seed and thy seede shall be as the du st of the earth thou shalt spread abroad west east north and south and through thee and thy seede shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed according to Esay E say 43. I will bring thy seede from the east and gather them togeather from the west I will say to the north let goe and to the south keepe not backe but bringe me my sonnes from farre and my daughters from the ends of the world for all nations shall came in one and bee gathered in one people Gen. 35. for the Lorde saide againe vnto Iacob thou shalt be called Israell grow and multiplie for people and a multitude of people shall spring of thee yea and kings s hall come out of thy loynes and the land which I gaue Abraham and Isaac will I giue vnto thee and vnto thy seede after thee Thus the almightie God of our fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob did seale the earnest of the inheritance of his euerlasting blessednes and kingdome in Christ with his holy spirite of promise made to our first fathers that he should come of the seede of Abraham according to the flesh by whom we should receaue redemption and saluation therby to be made partakers of Gods glorie And now furthermore after the proceedins of time that the seede of Iacob called Israell was increased to a great kindred of people and holden in bondage in the land of Egypt The Lord most mercifull and mindfull of his promise made to our forefathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob that he would be good vnto their seede raised vp among them Moyses a captaine and prophet that should deliuer and lead his people Israel out of Egypt into the land of Canaan which before he had giuen to Abraham and his seed for an euerlasting possession and this through Gods mightie hand who made a waye in the sea and a foote path in the mightie waters which brought forth the chariots and horses the host and power and drowned theÌ„ in the red sea And then brought his people vnto mount Synay in the wildernes where he gaue them the lawe figured in s tones shewing forth his wonderfull power that they did all tremble for feare and coulde not abide it for the people stood vnder the hill and the hill burnt with fire euen vnto the middes of heauen and there was the sound of a troump voyce of words tempest Deu. 4. darknes cloudes and mist and the Lord spake out of fire and declared his couenant and ordinance Exod. 19. and so terrible was the sight that appeared that Moyses said I feare quake And thus the law was giuen with great feare Exod. 34 and with great glorie for the children of Israell could not behould the face of Moyses for the glorie of his countenance with out a vayle which in Christ is put awaye for if the ministration of the lawe which is to condemnation bee glorious Cor. 2.3 much more doth the ministration of the spirite of promise vnto righteousnes exceede in glory And thus the law which began many hundred yeares after the promis e was added because of transgression as a schoolemaister to teach what sinne ment and not that it could giue life Gal. 3. or disanull the promise made to Abraham for the promise by faith in Iesus doth bring the inheritance and not the law which doth conclude all things vnder sinne for by the déedes of the law shall no man be iustified before God Rom. 3. but are iustified fréely by grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus who is the iustifier of them that beleeue in him after the example of righteous Abraham Wherefore the Lord to discouer our filthy nakednes and corruption brought by the sinnes of Adam did giue vs the law that therby we should come to the knowledge of our infirmities vices wretchednes which raigneth in our earthly members thereby knowing our state by the first Adam to be miserable and falne into the daungerous house and prison of al vncleannes being most wretched without hope vnlesse God of his
appointed place for all the new chaunged creatures frō corruption to immortalitie to stand vpon before the glory of God it is so translucident as that it semeth that the eternall power of Gods eternall remēbrance omnipotent might hath fixed it with the vertue of such a meruelous cōprehension the lyke as a a glass e expresseth the vision of a mans face shape so this expresseth the apperance of euery mans déeds woords thoughts and imaginations in shewing the verry face of euerie mans conscience euen in the very circute he stands vpon so that the powre of God shall make all things that were since the beginning to be as present in most manife st maner shewing the treuth of all things before his Angels saincts therfore ought we to be careful to kéep a good cōscience Reue. 4. seing nothing is so hid that shall not be reuealed and in the midst of the seat round about the seat are fower beastes being the fower goodly cherubins of God ful of eyes before behind represēting the state of our new Ierusalē of all the elect of God the first beast being like a Lion signifiing glory to those which béen valiant to fight with stout faith corage in the defence of the Lambe and his Gospel The seconde was like a calfe which prefigured a crowne of glorie to them which liued a sincere life and offred them selues to the sacrifice of martirdome death for the Lambes sake The third had the face of a man shewing the token of glorie to all them which openly with voyce and tongue by preaching teaching and writing had perfourmed the will of God to his praise and glorie The fourth beast was like an Eagle which euer setteth her face to the Sunne and hath pure eyes to beholde the brightnes thereof and this represented an assured signe of bles sed life to all them that haue liued in true penance of heart lifting vp the pure eyes of faith to God and placing their conscience in true righteousnesse and purenes of heart euermore towarde Iesus Chri st and thus the good people are at that dreadful appearance to iudgement comforted in hope and gladnesse by beholding these Cherubims representing the signes of happinesse Reuel 4. And these beautifull beastes had no rest day night saying Holy Holy Holy is the Lorde God Almightie And when those beastes or goodly Cherubims gaue honour glorie and thankes to him that sate on the seate which liueth for euer and euer the twentie and foure Elders that sit in iudgement with Christ fel down before him that sate in the throne worshipping him that liueth for euermore and cast their crownes before the throne yeelding to him all honour to whome it is due knowing that they haue nothing but that they haue receiued Saying Thou art worthy Lord to receiue glorie and honour and power for thou hast created all thinges and for thy willes sake they are and were created And about the throne was the voyce of many angels praising magnifying the Lord with most heauenly melodie in all excellencie and sweetenesse Reu. 4. And the twentie and foure Elders fell vpon their faces and worshipped him that liueth for euermore shewing thereby that when the Lorde s hineth foorth the excéeding highnes and greatnesse of his glorious face and maiestie that all his goodly creatures do cast downe them selues as not able to abide the brightnes thereof And thus consisteth the mysterie of the royal maiestie of Iesus Christ comming to iudgement at the latter day and of his most glorious sitting in his puisance power and glorie in his seate regall hauing all thinges according to the wil of the Father gathered before him The similitude of whose glorie appeared to Ezechiel Ezech. 1. 10. appearing in a great cloude full of fire which with his glistering lightened rounde about and in the middes of the fire all cleare And nowe after that the Lord hath opened the whole mysterie of the will of the heauenly father set the elect vpon his right hande the wicked and cursed on his left hauing sealed vp the whole nomber of his chosen then according to Iohn Reuel 7. the foure Angels which he saw stande on the foure corners of the earth holding the foure windes shall blowe and consume this vniuersall worlde with consuming fire which then was disfigured at the comming of Christ that there shall be no more of the first heauen Reuel 21. earth and sea and then at that blast shall the cursed fall with the Deuill and his Angels into hell the Lord saying depart ye cursed and on the other side shall be a newe heauen and a newe earth euen newe Ierusalem the glorious kingdome of God prepared for the elect before the beginning of the world come down from God when he shall say Come ye blessed inherite the kingdom prepared for you of my father O howe ioyfull shall then the s aints be with Christ in Sion to whome paradise is thus opened plenteousnesse of heauenly benediction made readie the trée of life graunted the ioy of immortalitie imbraced and the Garlandes of glorification enioyed when the Lord shall so louingly say to his righteous people that haue runne the race in this life in the path of godlinesse saying Come ye blessed be ye clothed with your heauenly mansion come take the fréedome of your newe eternal citie your glorious habitation And beholde for euermore your God of glorie and partake the incomprehensible shining of his euerlasting beautie and brightnesse and now take the freedome of all inestimable ioyes with the vnspeakeable aboundance of all sweete reioycing for euer Therefore let this animate thée to heauenly conuersation of life that thou maist make thy election sure whereby thou mayest be crowned with this glorious garlande of euerlasting felicitie ioye and blessednesse worlde without ende AMEN Ephesians 1. ALlaude and praise be vnto the God of our Lorde Iesus Christ the father of glorie who hath giuen vnto vs the spirit of wisedome and hath lightened the eyes of our mindes that we may knowe what the hope is whereunto he hath called vs and how rich the glorie is of his inheritance vpon the Saintes and what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to vs warde which beleeue according to the working of that his mightie power which he wrought in Christ when hee raysed him from the dead and set him on his right hande in heauenly things aboue all rule and power and might and dominion and aboue euery name that is named not in this worlde onely but also in the worlde to come and hath put all things vnder his feete and hath made him aboue all things the heade of the congregation which is his body the fulnes of him selfe that filleth all in all things to whom be all honor glorie Amen THE GLORIOVS AND BEAVTIFVL GARlande of mans glorification CAP. 4. Of the euerlasting ioy of our glorification giuen vs by
euery parte doeth the selfe same thing as the Spirite and Lambe doeth leade them Coloss 1. hauing the preheminence so that for euermore they remaine glorified with euerlas ting life peace vnitie and puritie of all perfection and brightnesse in the sight of the Almightie for all thinges with them are Symbolicall to Gods Maiestie That as Iesus Christ our Lorde and Redéemer is the Sonne of God begotten of God God of God and God in God that their insearchable nature is such that they are both one in it selfe And the Holy Ghost from them proceeding beeing the euerlasting Spirite of the euerlasting Father and Sonne being of inseparable nature all together in it selfe so that being three persons in Trinitie yet is it one euerlasting vnitie for in them is one Communion of Godhead that the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth in the three persons Almightie both bodely and Substantially And nowe as this euerlasting power and Godhead is coadvnited a perfect Trinitie in Vnitie and Vnitie in Trinitie So we of God to God and in God are adopted Saintes of holinesse by Iesus Christ our Sauiour the eternall worde sonne of God by whome we are made in most excellent true resemblance of Godly nature partakers of Gods glorie and purenesse Phil. 3. being ordeined of God to bee fashioned like the Sonne of God Ephe. 1. That what perfect coniunction of Godhead is betweene the trinitie and the vnitie The like heauenly harmonie by adoption shall be for euer of the Saintes of newe Ierusalem adopted true sonnes of God by the Sonne of God so fashioned like to his glorious bodie Phil. 3. So that as the euerlasting seate of Gods maiestie his eternal and incomprehensible place of power doth euer remaine with the Godhead as an eternall brightnes of the most holyest seate of all holinesse that where the Godhead is there is the s hining of his incomprehensible seate of brightnesse as a place eternall and incomprehensible agréeing to an Almightie and incomprehensible god and so an Almightie God with an incomprehensible place of glorie as one in a seate euerlasting vnsearcheable and vnmeasurable of all omnipotent Maiestie being an eternall creator and maker of a vniuersal seate of glorie neuer departing from the same as an immutable God in an immutable vniuersall and incomprehensible seate of honour and power So the Saintes and blessed elect haue a new mansion and glorious Citie descended from god in which they abide a kingly Priesthoode for euer And they shall neuer goe out of it but shall sit therein with Christ the Sonne of God being his seate of glorie giuen of the Father Reuel 3. where the elect shall s it with the Sonne of God in his kingdome as the Sonne did sit in his fathers seate of incomprehensible Maiestie And nowe such is the heauenly s ympathie and consembable resemblance of our heauenly mansion or newe Ierus alem answering to the incomprehensible seate of the glorie of the eternall maiestie That as the incomprehensible seate of glorie is euer with God so our new Ierusalem is euer with the saints being an euerlasting and heauenly clothing Cor. 2.5 with which the elect are euermore clothed That where the first begotten Sonne of God and by him the adopted sonnes of God doe go mooue or alleuate them selues towarde the omnipotent God in like sort doeth the eternal tabernacle or seat as a glorious clothing or euerlasting garmēt with a glorified body continuing inseperably for euer And thus wée are conioyned as one harmonie and perfect consent of many vnited in one cōmunion with Gods holines so glorified in the Author and Father of glorie clothed with the substanciall pertakeing of his goodly seat of glory according to Esay I will make a new Ierusalem saith the Lord that shall be glorious through all posterities Esay 4. ◠Peace shall be the ruler and Righteousnes the officer the walles shal be called helth and the gates the prayse of God and God shall bee thy euerlasting light and thy God shall bee thy glorie And she shall be a crowne in the hand of the Lord and a glorious garland in the hand of her God and shall be called a new name the pleasure of God in her and God loueth her and god shall marry him self to her sonnes and as a brydegrome glad of his bryde so god of her Wherby appeare the infinit loue of God to his saincts and of them to God the inseperable coniunction of the glorie of God to new Ierusalem and to her sonnes and the reciprocate coniunction and euerlasting confirmation of them to him in substantiall glorification so that wee shall be in misterie as one pure vnspotted people sanctified in the participiation of the holynes of God being a multitude and yet one heauenly body vnited to one only holy and omnipotent God and thus the Saincts shall be ioyful with glorie behoulding the moste resplendent beautie of God ouer their heads lifting to him with one consent of heauenly melodie all prayse and honor euerlastingly Otherfore yée heauenly Congregation of sainctes sing prayses night and day to your God of glorie that you may dwell before God for euer And thus it is infinit to expresse and moste ioyfull to beholde the admirable treasures and riches layd vp for vs in Christ to come and it is excéeding gladsome to thinke what a plenteous costly pleas ant and glorious feast the Lord hath prepared by Christe for vs And let it reioyce you to the ground of your harts to consider how the Lord shall deck you lyke Bridegromes with the garments of heauenly helth and high blessednes and let your soules leap within you and daunce for ioy to think how you shall be decked with the garmēts of Gods beautie and be you mery in righteousnes and run cheerfully to godlynes of life that you may pertake with this euerlasting happines of new Ierusalem the glorie wherof is so excéeding that the high amplitude thereof cannot be expressed vnto which the spirit of God sayeth to thée come and your bryde her selfe euen Ierusalē saith come Therfore so run the race of your lyfe that thou maiest go into her and taste her water of lyfe there beholding the maiestie of GOD with all abundant ioyfulnes and so remaining in euerlasting glorification with Christ for euer and euer * ⎠* ALleluia saluation and glory and honour and power and might Reu. 19. bee as crybed to the Lord our God for true and righteous are his iudgementes therefore prayse the Lord God all yee that are his seruants and ye that feare him both small and great for the Lord our God omnipotent reigneth so that let vs reioyce and be glad and giue honour to him for the mariage of the Lamb is come and his wife made her self ready and to her was graūted that shee should be arrayed with pure and goodly raynes and the raines be the righteousnes of Saincts and now happie are they which are
and brightnes of GOD. Therfore ascribe power vnto our Lord and reioyce in him who is so wunderfull in his holy places where he will deck his people with his owne beauty crown them with the glory of an euerlasting kingly préesthood extolling and prays ing God eternally in the highest according to his woorthynes and thus they taste perpetually of the infallable swéetnes of all flowing goodnes incessantly procéeding from God his owne selfe there making mery in all heauenlynes of mirth and reioysing continually before God by imbracing the excellēt shyne and blessed beames of the moste splendent and glorious brightnes of the omnipotent Father O therfore come hether all good people that you may taste the swéetnes of the Lord for the which lift vp your harts to heauen and so run your race as that you may be receiued in to that heauenly habitation with God and his Saincts And besides touching the heauenly misterie of this our eternall Ierusalem and blessed mansion discending downe from God the vision of the glorie of the Lord appearing to Ezechiell Ezeche 1. and 10. doth in ghostly cōprehension as in a cleare glasse represent the figuratiue misterie therof vnder the semblance of the goodly Cherubins for our holy euerla sting Citie shall euermore appeare full of the glistering of Gods maiestie lightning round about wherby the twelue trybes or vniuersall number of the elect possessing Ierusalem according to a quadrate or equilaterall triplicitie of euery side of the Cittie conteyning thrée gates hauing the names of the trybes in order of heauenly deuision which sides represent the fower goodly beastes vnder the quadrat fourme of this Cittie containing The mysterye of the fower beastes 4. and wheeles which Ezechiell saw as vnder fower faces of beautifull beastes or wheeles the whole congregation of the elect as vnder the face of thrée gates on euerie side makeing the radicall number of twelue trybes or twelue Apostels multiplyed in the vertue of it selfe to a perfect number radicall the harmony of the elect and thus these goodly faces of the fower beastes being each side of the Cittie with his blessed saincts shall shine as burning Cressets geuing a cōtinuall glister as it were a lightning for out of their bodies shall proceed the flaming zeale of praysing and magnifying the God of glorie for euer and thus on the foure sides rounde about the similitude of new Ierusalem shall be as a glassie sea mingled with fire shining with the superexcellent glistering of heauenly beautie like the shining of precious stones carued out without hande by the omnipotencie of God that the twelue tribes or whole congregation of the elect being euermore in the citie that howsoeuer the blessed Lambe and glorious hoste of Saintes mooue vpwarde or downeward to the magnifying of the Maiestie of God or falling vpon their faces at the high glistring of the most incomprehensible brightnesse of God the tabernacle or heauenly Ierusalem doth the same also as an heauenly clothing immoueable from them but still conformed in all godly perfection to euery harmonie of consent of the glorious Saintes that if the holy Saintes doe mooue or goe by the guiding of the spirite or Lambe the blessed Citie or tabernacle goeth also for the spirite of life is in the Citie So that the elect are so clothed with their heauenly habitation that neither can they any way be separated from it nor that from them as a kingdome of glorie in s eparable and immoueable from a glorious bodie And this eternall Citie is framed with foure equilaterall sides like the fourme of the Quier and altar of the Temple of old Ierusalem and that in most true perfection of iust harmonie and absolute proportion hauing to looke vpon euery side mos t excellently cohering and according as if one were in another that when one side of the glorified saintes went forward they went all foure and turned them not about according to the dignitie of true perfection for such is the concording of euery part with the whole and of the whole citie with euery parte that if any part mooued all mooued and that with such a motion as the spirite of life did giue which was in the whole Citie or tabernacle and in euery parte of the tabernacle a like and the selfe s ame So that this motion was euer as the swéete voyce of Gods owne mouth did breath being the perfect motion of Gods holy will accordingly as the children of Israel did neuer mooue foorth in passing the wildernesse but by the mouth of God as the cloudie pillar did mooue or stande still before the tabernacle So in most heauenly maner shall it be in our glorified tabernacle or citie that God shall be our Captaine and King leading vs to fountaines of water of life Ezech. 1. And the streetes and winges of this our Citie are so framed without hande by mightie power that one neuer touch another and yet when they moue they turne them not about but eche goe straight forwarde shewing that it conteineth one onely way and motion of most perfect trueth and perfection with all harmonicall concordance of heauenly agré ement And these goodly beastes doe represent the Godly liuers which are accepted before the goodnesse of God and now the maner of their dwelling within their newe Ierusalē is prefigured by the face of a man and Lion Ezech. 1. appearing on the right side of the squared Citie and the face of an oxe and an Eagle on the left side signifying a consimilar expectation that those godly people which like a lyon haue bene vigilant stout strong and bolde in faith to fight and warre in defence of the Lambe and the face of a man sheweth that those which truely and faithfully by confession teaching and preaching haue set foorth the glorie of the Lambe shall possesse the right side of Ierusalem And tho se which like an oxe to sacrifice haue yeelded them selues to martirdome to death or torments for the Lambes sake and those which like an Eagle haue turned their hearts to God as the Eagle doeth alwayes turne her selfe to the Sonne to beholde it shall posses se the left side of newe heauenly Ierusalem being nowe glorified whose feete shineth like glistering scoured metall full of beautie euermore continuing in one selfe same ioy and glorie And nowe the winges and borders are spredde out most beautifully according to Esay the cordes are so laide abroade as that they can not be better Esay 33. and the ma st set vp of such a fashion that no banner or sayle hangeth thereon Esay 40. As also Esay saith The Lorde sitteth vpon the Circle of the worlde and spreadeth out the heauens as a couering and stretcheth them out as a tent to dwell in For nowe euery parte in the whole and the whole with euery parte doeth euermore agree in the selfe same so knit in vnitie and euerlasting peace in one consent of melodie that for euer one parte and